Category: Science Fiction

Hey STAR WARS ! Happy 35th !

Where were you 35 years ago, fellow movie geeks ( if you even existed ) ? Well, it turns out that today, May 25, 2012, is the 35th anniversary of the day the original STAR WARS ( it wouldn’t be given the episode IV subtitle for several years ) exploded on USA movie screens. This was the big one. Steven Spielberg had established the Summer as a prime time for escapist Hollywood blockbusters with JAWS in 1975 , but George Lucas solidified ” school’s out ” as the ” get out of the heat and lose yourself in a fantasy world ” season. It’s difficult to convey to you younger film fans what a game changer this was. Most sci-fi fantasy films were ultra-low budget saucers on the loose with guys in ill-fitting rubber suits B movies. We had the occasional big, stompin’ monster epics from Japan along with the James Bond series ( by then in the very tongue-in-cheek Roger Moore era ). The Planet of the Apes series had run its course, but the major studios would dip their toes in sci-fi with LOGAN’S RUN and THE OMEGA MAN. And there were re-issues of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. But these films didn’t have a sense of adventure that connected with 70’s movie audiences ( along with a great sense of humor ). This may be an amazing example of being in the right place at the right time. The public craved heroes and Lucas stepped up and delivered.

Here’s my personal SW story. I first became aware of the film in the early issues of Starlog  ( this full color newstand magazine devoted to sci-fi and fantasy films started in 1976. Talk about your right place/ right time ). In the upcoming films column they mentioned a movie from AMERICAN GRAFFITI director Lucas called STAR WARS about the adventures of ” Luke Starkiller “.  Hmmmm. I really enjoyed Graffiti, so I’ll have to check this out. Soon Starlog was teasing us with samples of Ralph McQuarrie’s pre-production art ( like the image up above ). When I began college in Chicago, I hit the used bookstores and found this recent paperback from Ballentine Books’ SF line:

As you see, the cover also featured McQuarrie’s art. In November of 76 I decided to treat myself after a long week of school and go to one of the premiere downtown Chicago movie houses, the McClurg Court, and see this boxing flick called ROCKY. Well before meeting Mr. Balboa on those mean streets of Philly, several previews were shown, one of which was this teaser from 20th Century Fox:

<iframe width=”560″ height=”420″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/rxwGGZ1BXC0?rel=0” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>

We in the theatre audience were a bit dumbfounded. I Imagined thought bubbles coming from everyone’s heads that proclaimed ” Huh? ” and ” Wha-?”. The fellow behind the sweet 60’s nostalgia flick is slumming with rockets and weird ” thingies “.  Fox is gonna’ take a bath with this!  Items would appear in movie columns over the next few months. In the Spring of 77 Marvel Comics published a monthly comic book tie-in/adaptation of the May release. It featured terrific Howard Chakyn art with a taut script from Conan scribe Roy Thomas. Marvel had done some licenced properties before, but could this find an audience?

Soon I was in the last days of my freshman year of college. On my way to class, the current issue of Time magazine caught my eye poking out of a newsstand. There across the top, above the logo was the banner: ” Inside the year’s best movie”. Past the Middle East conflict cover story was a rave review of STAR WARS. And I found out that it was opening in the Chicago area that Friday. I hatched a plan. After Dinner at the dorm that night, my new pals Dave and Chad ( names changed ) and I would walk the twelve blocks to the single screen Esquire theatre, just off Michigan Avenue, and catch the 8 PM show. We got there a half hour or so early and joined the growing line on the street. When the previous showing let out a very odd thing happened. Complete strangers were coming up to people in line and proclaiming, ” You’re gonna’ love it!’. Wow, this may be something!

We settled into our seats in the middle of the auditorium. The Fox logo appeared with the fanfare extending with the extra horns that used to signal a Cinemascope film. I was hooked already. This night was one of my best movie going experiences ever. Everyone gasped when the first ships passed over the camera. They booed and hissed at the arrival of Darth Vader. Several special effects shots were greeted with enthusiastic applause ( particularly the Millenium Falcon’s first jump to light speed ). Chad, who’s a huge John Wayne fan, whispered to me during the cantina scene, ” This is a Western!’. After staying to see all of the long list of end credits, we walked energized out on to the street. We came across a still open record store ( ah, remember them? ) and David bought the 2 disc soundtrack set. Back at the dorm we listened to John Williams’s stirring score into the wee hours while telling our dorm pals that they absolutely had to see this movie. The next day I was to have a Saturday afternoon date with a woman from my school. First lunch, then back to the Esquire for a matinee! There I heard a man telling his son, ” This is like Flash Gordon! “.

Returning to Southern Illinois for Summer break, I awaited the film’s opening in Carbondale. This was before the 3000 screen same day releases, so the film slowly made its way to smaller markets over the next months. But the trailer was playing. A reviewer for the SIU-Carbondale student paper wrote that the only good thing about the EXORCIST sequel was the STAR WARS Trailer playing with it. When it finally opened at the old Fox theatre, I made sure that my student movie-making pal Todd was with me at its Carbondale premiere. I had to rescue him from the concession stand so he wouldn’t miss the first scene! Later the Summer I also picked up the 2 LP set, more Marvel Comics ( they reprinted those first six issues countless times, perhaps saving the comics industry from collapse ), several movie magazines featuring the cast and characters and an eight  minute scene released on Super 8 color sound ( those pricey Betamax video recorders didn’t have current films and the home video explosion was still 4 or 5 years away ) which was looped on to my old hot projector whenever I got the chance. And this was before the merchandise really exploded with the Kenner toy line. Back in Chicago for my sophomore year, the film was still playing at several theatres ( that next May a suburban theatre still playing the film placed a full-page newspaper ad featuring a one year cake adorned with the Kenner action figures ). At the dorm we listened to the Williams score and the Meco disco mix, I drew up a SW themed Christmas card and dressed up as Obi Wan for the big Halloween party ( always grew the beard when I went back to school ). I probably ended up seeing the film 25 times over that first year of release. And this was the standard wall decoration for all the dorm rooms….

The legacy lives on! We certainly wouldn’t have this weekend’s MEN IN BLACK 3 and the box office juggernaut MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS without that odd little epic that seemed to come out of nowhere. No amount of dismal prequels or endless directorial tweeking will erase my memories of that magical May night. So, what are your special remembrances? Drop a comment here or at our Facebook page. Obi-Wan’s last bit of dialogue from the film can certainly be applied to the legacy of STAR WARS : ” The force will be with you…always”

 

MEN IN BLACK 3 – The Review

Can it really be ten years since the Men in Black stormed the cineplex? Yup, it’s a darn shame they couldn’t use their neuralizers ( or as J first called them, “flashy things ” ) to erase our memories of that dismal 2002 sequel MEN IN BLACK 2. Hopefully the film makers have used the time to determine what went wrong and how to make a third film that can recapture the fun of the first. Speaking of time, we’ve not seen Will Smith in a film since 2008’s SEVEN POUNDS. Can he re-establish the Summer as ” Big Willie Time”? To find out let’s get that dark suit out of the closet, grab a pair of shades ( and 3D glasses), and take one strange trip in MEN IN BLACK 3.

As this installment begins, we’re witness to the break out of an alien criminal named Boris ” The Animal ‘ ( Jemaine Clement )  from a max, I mean really max, security facility. Cut to old partners Agents J ( Smith ) and K ( Tommy Lee Jones ) investigating a crashed spacecraft on the streets of New York City. Later on, the always stoic K delivers a eulogy for their departed boss Z at MIB HQ as we’re introduced to their new supervisor Agent O ( Emma Thompson ). That evening our heroes raid an Asian restaurant where K makes a discovery that sends him into a melancholy funk. The tight-lipped vet refuses to share this link to the past with his partner, so J hits the research files back at the base. Later that night J and K share an odd phone conversation. The next morning J heads to his partner’s apartment and is shocked to discover a family living there with no knowledge of K. And what’s with J’s craving for chocolate milk? Returning to HQ, his fellow agents are confused by his inquiries about K, because, as O informs him, K was killed on a mission over forty years ago! Oh, and Earth’s being invaded by spaceships from a distant world. Aha! Boris made the leap back in time and eliminated K via a secret device! J’s got no choice but to use said device and travel to 1969 in order to save K ( and the world ). Back in that groovy year J and a much younger K ( Josh Brolin ) embark on mission that will take them to Coney Island, Shea Stadium. Andy Warhol’s Factory, and , eventually,  the launch of Apollo 11 at  Florida’s Cape Canaveral in order to stop Boris’s fiendish plot.

First off, this is a huge improvement over the second film, but that may be damning with faint praise. Director Barry Sonnenfeld keeps things moving quickly in the first act and makes great use of 3D ( the prison break is a fantastic sequence ). Besides Mr. S several other members of the old team are back. Danny Elfman provides some great new riffs to his original pounding score. It’s wonderful seeing the skilled artistry of make-up effects master Rick Baker once again. In the modern bookend scenes most of the creatures are rendered using some pretty great CGI ( including that gang of wise-cracking, antennae-wiggling bugs ). Once we’re in the sixties, the aliens are similar to the pop-culture BEMs ( Bug  Eyed Monsters ) seen in TV shows like ” The Outer Limits” and ” Lost in Space “. Perhaps another Oscar nom for Mr. B ? Kudos also to the art directors for giving the past scenes a candy-colored glow. There are lots of great looking period fashions and classic vehicles. Of course the agents back then had their own cool futuristic gizmos, but here they too have a clunky, retro vibe. As for the actors, Smith carries the film on his broad shoulders and considerable screen charms. He convincingly stumbles and stammers as he is the ” fish out of water ” in this weird time. Carrying him through is his affection for his co-worker. Speaking of which Jones is his old, reliable cranky self as the veteran agent. The curmudgeon does show his feelings a bit as he begins to re-live his past regrets. The best surprise in the film is the inspired casting and performance of Brolin as the 1969 model  K. He’s a smoother, squinting version of Jones ( he’s got that Southern drawl down pat! ), who’s not quite the old ” stone face “. He even smiles at J a couple of times. Thompson’s a great addition as the button-down all business O, who’s very fluent in Venusian! The lovely Alice Eve plays her 60’s self in a couple of too brief scenes. Speaking of brief, Bill Hader of TV’s ” Saturday Night Live ” scores big laughs as an agent deep, deep under cover. Clement is both scary and funny as both versions of Boris ( augmented with some seriously gross CGI effects ). The only problem with the film is a somewhat soft second act involving an alien named Griffin played by Michael Stuhlbarg from A SERIOUS MAN. He can see several alternate futures at once, but can’t really interfere or prevent events. He reminded me of a shorter, schlubby version of “The Watcher” character from Marvel Comics. His ramblings become muddled and confusing after a few screen moments ( wonder if the role was written with Sonnenfeld’s RV star Robin Williams in mind ). But , despite this detour, the new adventure is a worthy follow-up to the 1997 original and with sprightly work by Brolin, MEN IN BLACK 3 is a fun, pleasant ride through the galaxy and the decades. Now allow me to direct your attention to this small silver device….

Overall rating: 3.5 Out of 5 Stars

A Vision Of Ridley Scott’s PROMETHEUS – Featurette; London Red Carpet Livestream May 31


Ridley Scott on the set of Prometheus. Photo: Kerry Brown – TM and © 2012 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.

From 20th Century Fox comes a new featurette for PROMETHEUS. Director Ridley Scott has created a new mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey, aboard the spaceship Prometheus, to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race from an indigenous race of bio-mechanoid killers. “After you’ve seen Prometheus,” Scott says, “you will have experienced something completely unexpected.”

Next Thursday (May 31) you can watch the live stream of the PROMETHEUS Red Carpet Premiere from London. Verizon will host the stream in the US on its Verizion FiOS Facebook page, while fans across the globe can access the stream here –  http://www.live.prometheusmovie.com/.

PROMETHEUS arrives in theaters June 8.

Visit the official site:  http://www.projectprometheus.com/
“Like” it on Facebook:  www.Facebook.com/prometheus
Follow the film on Twitter:  @PrometheusMovie
YouTube:  www.youtube.com/Prometheus6812

BATTLESHIP – The Review

Hasbro may have naming and branding rights to the film, but don’t let the “source material” fool you. BATTLESHIP is an action-packed, fun-filled piece of pure popcorn entertainment that deserves a spot amongst the best of it’s kind. The board game-inspired film is directed by Peter Berg (THE KINGDOM, VERY BAD THINGS) who has given the film it’s greatest strength… a knowledgeable and talented commander at the helm of this summertime blockbuster.

Taylor Kitsch (JOHN CARTER, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS) stars as Lt. Alex Hopper, a smart yet unfocused and discipline-challenged Navy officer. Alex has no direction in life and nothing but trouble in his future, so his big brother Commander Stone Hopper, played by Alexander Skarsgard (STRAW DOGS, TRUE BLOOD) recruits Alex by way of an ultimatum in an attempt to help turn his life around. Brooklyn Decker (JUST GO WITH IT) plays Alex’s girlfriend Sam, who also happens to be the daughter of Admiral Shane, played by Liam Neeson (THE GREY, TAKEN).

With the back story planted in the backs of our minds, the core of BATTLESHIP begins as humanity is caught off guard when a message sent into deep space is answered by a visit from an alien race far from being your childhood E.T. It becomes quickly apparent that these invaders are far more advanced in every way than we mere, puny humans, but like so many times before in the motion pictures, we humans strike back and fight to survive, proving we can overcome any obstacle thrown at us, regardless of how overwhelming the opposing force may be.

BATTLESHIP does not set itself up as a film with some stellar, intricately designed plot. It truly does wear it’s heart on its sleeve, stating with bold bravado that it intends to satisfy your primal desire for action, big guns and explosions… lots and lots of explosions. The difference being that BATTLEFIELD does this with such technical confidence combined with a script written specifically to show off how cool the film will look and feel. Despite a cast filled with several stars, the real star of the film is the visceral, bone-rattling experience of the characters they play.

In so many ways a happy melding of INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996) and PEARL HARBOR (2001), Peter Berg’s BATTLEFIELD overcomes my initial skepticism and surpasses my expectations of another Michael Bay style showcase of explosions with weak writing and exaggerated plots. Sure, it may sound like I’m splitting hairs, but Berg manages to bring together the massive special effects, the non-stop action, the patriotism, the kinetic visual style, the somewhat hokey love story, and the thin plot in a way that encourages pleasurable suspension of disbelief.

BATTLESHIP features strangely simple lizard-like humanoid aliens in Halo-esque armor. The only design element of the aliens I found slightly off-putting are the weird quadruple-thumb claw-like hands. These seem a flawed choice for a race of being so technically advanced, more interested in orchestrating a full-scale invasion than with taking an immediately aggressive approach. Initially, this has the human military confused as they struggle to understand and defeat the aliens’ superior weapons and defensive technology. Cut off from the rest of the Naval fleet by a giant force field dome, Alex Hopper and his Destroyer crew must find a way not only to survive, but to save humanity.

The alien ships are vaguely Transformer-like, but its more accurate to think of them along the lines of the classic ’80s cartoon M.A.S.K, whereas the alien ships reconfigure themselves into a sort of “battle mode” when the need arises. The alien arsenal is different enough to satisfy the science-fiction fans without being absurdly over-the-top and unrealistic. On the other hand, the over-sized fireball-fueled circular saws of death that the aliens unleash on Hong Kong were pushing the boundaries of being absurd, but with an audience now well-accustomed to TRANSFORMERS films, I doubt it will be an issue.

Did I mention there are a lot of explosions? Good. The audience is likely to cheer loudest during the all-out battle scenes, as they did when I saw the film and with good reason. BATTLEFIELD draws on that video game culture of craving glorified violence and I couldn’t have been more happy to comply. Overall, the acting was average, but this isn’t the kind of film you see hoping for an Oscar-worthy performance. Liam Neeson is a great actor, but he and Alexander Skarsgard as well have far less screen time than Taylor Kitsch, accompanied by his crew including Petty Officer Raikes, played by hip hop star Rihanna, making her acting debut. Surprisingly, she does all right as the Vasquez-like [ALIENS] woman who controls the “big guns” of Hopper’s Destroyer ship.

BATTLESHIP is more than just a board game turned into a movie, which I’m sure is what most people think it will be. With that said, its still a film that’s all show and little substance in as satisfying a way as that can be. The ultimate question on so many of your minds is most likely “how can they make the Battleship game into a movie?” Here’s my answer to you… they have not turned the board game into a movie, but rather made a cool movie that shares the name of the game. Without giving anything away, there is one scene — a very crucial scene — whereas the board game’s general method of play is cleverly and indirectly referenced. Audiences should be able to pick up on this scene — for those who have played the game — smile at the reference and then continue to enjoy the film unencumbered by any actors yelling the line “You sunk my battleship!”

Overall Ratting: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Universal Pictures’ BATTLESHIP Arrives In Select International IMAX Theatres In April

IMAX Corporation and Universal Pictures today announced that Battleship will be digitally re-mastered into the immersive IMAX® format and released in more than 100 select IMAX® theatres internationally, in countries including China and Russia, beginning on April 12. The epic-scale action-adventure is directed and produced by Peter Berg and stars Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Rihanna, Brooklyn Decker, Asano Tadanobu and Liam Neeson.

“We’re excited to partner with Universal Pictures to bring this Hasbro property to life in select international IMAX theatres,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “Battleship‘s powerful action and incredible visuals are a great fit for theIMAX format and will offer those IMAX fans an edge-of-your seat, mind-blowing experience they simply won’t want to miss.”

“With Battleship, IMAX audiences across the globe will feel like they are on these enormous ships with our international crew as they battle alien invaders,” said Universal Pictures Chairman Adam Fogelson and Co-Chairman Donna Langley.  “The scope and scale of this film is awe-inspiring, and we are excited to partner with IMAX to give moviegoers a one-of-a-kind experience at the theatre.”

The IMAX release of Battleship will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

In summer 2012, the battle for Earth begins at sea.

Peter Berg (Hancock, The Kingdom, Friday Night Lights) directs and produces Battleship, an epic-scale action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force.

Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Lieutenant Alex Hopper, a naval weapons officer assigned to USS John Paul Jones; Alexander Skarsgard as Hopper’s older brother, Stone, Commanding Officer of USS Sampson; global music superstar Rihanna, making her motion-picture debut as Petty Officer Second Class Cora Raikes, Hopper’s crewmate and a weapons specialist on USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam Shane, Hopper’s fiancee and a physical therapist specializing in the rehabilitation of military combat veterans; Tadanobu Asano, as Captain Yugi Nagata, Commanding Officer of the Japanese destroyer Myoko and Hopper’s archrival; and Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone’s superior (and Sam’s father), Admiral Shane, Commander of the Pacific Fleet.

Inspired by Hasbro’s classic naval-combat game, Battleship is produced by Brian Goldner and Bennett Schneir of Hasbro (theTransformers and G.I. Joe franchises), Scott Stuber (Safe House, Couples Retreat), Film 44’s Sarah Aubrey (The Kingdom), along withDuncan Henderson (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, The Perfect Storm).  The action-adventure is written by Jon Hoeber & Erich Hoeber (Red).

http://www.battleshipmovie.com
Become a fan on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/Battleship)
Follow on Twitter  (https://twitter.com/battleshipmovie) for the latest updates.

THE CORRIDOR – The Review

Review originally published on September 27th, 2011 as part of our Fantastic Fest coverage.

My favorite science-fiction stories are often the subtle ones, films and literature that delve deeper into the philosophical of the genre pool, more than simply wading in the shallow end with fantastic technology and the sensationalism of aliens. THE CORRIDOR, written by Josh MacDonald and directed by Evan Kelly, does this well, while also mingling nicely with the psychological thriller genre.

THE CORRIDOR begins with a jolt to the viewer’s attention, firing a bullet of essential back story at point blank range, leaving a residue of smoldering mystery to ignite the slowly burning story that follows. Stephen Chambers stars as Tyler, returning from a stint of recovery after having a breakdown triggered by his mother’s death. In a show of support and to celebrate Tyler’s return, his four best friends decide to reunite with him for a weekend at his mother’s small house out in the Canadian wilderness.

David Fleming plays Chris, Tyler’s closest friend and probably the most level-headed of the five. James Gilbert plays Everett, the wilder of the friends and a musician with a borderline drinking problem. Matthew Amyotte plays “Bobcat,” the big, burly ex-football star turned family man. Finally, Glen Matthews plays Jim, or “Huggs” as he’s called by the rest of the crew, the smart and somewhat nerdy friend. Together, they’re an unlikely group of characters with a natural chemistry.

In the beginning, the friendly get together seems harmless enough, despite an underlying thread of mutual reluctance and trepidation amongst the friends. It’s difficult for them to feel at ease around Tyler, and the opening scene of THE CORRIDOR offers a more than reasonable explanation for this uneasiness. Over the course of their time together, Tyler’s four friends become more relaxed, but after Tyler takes a late night walk on his own into the woods, he begins to fear the worst about his condition.

Tyler’s mother Pauline (Mary-Colin Chisholm) has a very small role on screen, but the character has a much more significant role in the story as her and her son Tyler share a unique connection, but may not be what it appears on the surface. THE CORRIDOR refers to something Tyler’s discovers on his solitary walk into the woods, leading him to gather his friends to witness for themselves, but Tyler’s actions will ultimately lead to events that change their lives forever.

THE CORRIDOR showcases a cast of relative unknowns, young talent that collectively delivers a high caliber performance. This plays directly into the success of the director’s vision, as this is a dialogue driven story with strong, well developed characters. The viewer is given ample time to empathize with each of the characters and their motives, but the pacing of the film is also crucial, maintaining a comfortably controlled release of clues enhanced with properly placed brow-raising twists.

As THE CORRIDOR rises to a boiling point it morphs gently into a horror story wrapped around a science-fiction puzzle. What exactly is the Corridor? What does it mean? Where does it lead? These are the questions the filmmaker sews within our minds and leaves to germinate and take root. Evan Kelly tells a strong, engaging story that raises curious ideas, but he stands back and allows the viewer to come to their own conclusions about the Corridor.

Evan Kelly makes some bold but effective choices in his use of CGI. The special effects are minimal and simple, but not cheesy or distracting. THE CORRIDOR is a precise description of the anomaly presented in the film, while maintaining an nearly indescribable nature. The makeup effects are brutal and graphic, but do not exceed necessity. THE CORRIDOR seamlessly blends human drama with science fiction, psychological and visceral horror, and even a touch of metaphysical philosophy for one of the more mesmerizing but accessibly cerebral films I’ve seen in years. Enter THE CORRIDOR with your thinking cap on, but there’s no need to turn it up to eleven on the dial.

THE CORRIDOR opens theatrically in the United States and Canada on March 30th, 2012.

“Like” THE CORRIDOR on Facebook, or check out TheCorridorMovie.com for more information.

PROMETHEUS Ridley Scott Q&A, Trailer Premiere, IMAX Trailer & Viral Video

Twentieth Century Fox and AMC Theatres present the Prometheus Live Chat and Trailer Premiere with Prometheus director Ridley Scott and executive producer and co writer Damon Lindelof. Tune in and be one of the first to see this widely anticipated trailer! Watch the replay here – http://livestre.am/6OKK

Love that two formidable women feature prominently in Scott’s film, once again. Big plus that this auteur has always been a visual director – I can’t wait for the June opening. The stars and its director appeared earlier today during Wondercon at the Fox panel.

Check out the new viral video and IMAX trailer for the film.

Ridley Scott, director of “Alien” and “Blade Runner,” returns to the genre he helped define. WithPrometheus, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

Visit the official site: http://www.projectprometheus.com/
“Like” it on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/prometheus
Follow the film on Twitter: @PrometheusMovie
YouTube: www.youtube.com/Prometheus6812
“Building Better Worlds” visit: https://www.weylandindustries.com/

JOHN CARTER – The Review

“George Lucas is going to be sooo pissed!” This was the first thought that popped into my head after seeing JOHN CARTER. That is, until I realized he has no reason to get upset. Whether or not you’re familiar with the source material, it will become abundantly clear that Lucas drew a great deal of inspiration for his STAR WARS saga from A PRINCESS OF MARS, a science-fiction novel written by Edgar Rice Burroughs. In fact, once JOHN CARTER hits DVD and blu-ray, picking out the familiar STAR WARS bits would make one hell of a drinking game.

Long story short, director Andrew Stanton only steals back from Lucas what he stole from Burroughs in the first place. I say stolen in a purely playful manner, as is this incredibly fun, if not entirely perfect science-fiction action/adventure film that is one part Indiana Jones, one part STARGATE, and many parts STAR WARS in it’s visual appeal, story structure and even with it’s character development, in many cases. JOHN CARTER may have been officially derived from the original Edgar Rice Burroughs story, but the concept has had plenty of attention through the years, from the original novel and other books that followed, a magazine serial, television series and comic books.

Andrew Stanton, best known for directing the Pixar hits WALL-E and FINDING NEMO, makes his live-action debut with Disney’s CGI blockbuster JOHN CARTER, which they have allegedly spent upwards of $250 million or more to bring to life. If this is true, I fear Disney may have a box office financial flop, even if the film proves to be a popular pre-summer release. In all honesty, it will take a small miracle for the film to break even, but do your part and give it a chance for having the balls to beckon your hard earned bucks before the summer season officially begins.

Taylor Kitsch plays the legendary John Carter, a ruggedly handsome man in his twenties who stumbles upon a gateway between Earth and Mars, leading him into the adventure of a lifetime that will change the course of not one, but two worlds. Kitsch, perhaps best known as Tim Riggins to FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS fans, isn’t terribly recognizable beyond that somewhat cult following. Stanton is taking somewhat of a chance with a relative unknown in the leading role, but I’m sure it did shave a few million dollars off the total production cost. Kitsch presents himself on screen as the young Indiana Jones type, but with a bit more old west in his swagger. I am fairly certain there is a moment when explaining his name to the locals that he whips out a John Wayne impersonation, but it happens quickly, so don’t nod off.

JOHN CARTER is no lavishly written masterpiece of flashy dialogue or deep philosophical prose. This shows in the film, but what the film lacks in textual tact it gains in a pleasantly pulpy atmosphere and tone that makes the entire experience that much more fun. Sure, go ahead and see the film in 3D. As much as I oppose the current trend, this is the kind of film 3D is really meant for and it actually works fairly well. No gimmicks, the 3D is fully integrated and never really bares itself so blatantly as to pull the viewer from the story. As was certainly the style of pulp literature of its era, JOHN CARTER has moments of embellished heroism and sappy romance, but I encourage you to play along and enjoy the ride. One of the most fantastically absurd but equally rewarding moments is when John Carter takes it upon himself to prove his valor and worth to Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins), single-handedly facing a massive horde of grumpy, savage four-armed Tharks with his name on their blades. This scene is over the top, absurd, and entirely satisfying.

Without going into any great detail, JOHN CARTER follows an otherwise insignificant former Confederate Captain as he is whisked away to Mars and becomes a legend, courtesy of a certain variance in the laws of physics. The CGI in the film is vast and ever present, from the light ships and towering architecture to the arid landscape and especially the character design. While the majority of the alien characters are merely humans with a touch more red pigment and blue blood, the Tharks could be compared to the Na’vi from James Cameron’s AVATAR, but conceptualized with far more success. These four-armed, tusked natives are a major factor in the story and provide a great deal of the excitement.

Much of the star power for JOHN CARTER comes in the way of voice talent. Willem Dafoe and Thomas Haden Church lend their voices to the two primary Thark males, Samantha Morton offers her voice to the primary Thark female, and Dominic West and Bryan Cranston round out the cast. Mark Strong puts on the villain’s shoes once again as a mysterious Thern, stirring the proverbial pooh while standing on the sidelines. This character reminds me of a far more nefarious “Observer” for those who follow the FRINGE television series. He’s one mean dude and he doesn’t play fair.

While the action sequences may be short in duration, there are enough of them in total to give it a pass. JOHN CARTER crosses two worlds, 50 million miles and vastly different cultures to produce a movie many times more enjoyable than THE PHANTOM MENACE, minus Darth Maul, even with its slightly elongated 132-minute running time that could definitely benefit from a snip here and a cut there. The lead performances are notably Kitsch-y (see what I did there) and it works. For someone who has not read the original source material, Andrew Stanton’s JOHN CARTER has inspired me to seek it out.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

CHRONICLE – The Review

For many, the “superhero” genre is as worn out as an old sock, with so many comic book movies proving they are bigger on their budgets than their concepts. I am, of course speaking of the average movie-goer, not the clutch of comic book fans that frequent the film adaptations, for better or worse. On the other hand, there’s the rare film that takes the superhero genre and turns it upside-down, delivering a fresh new concept or unique spin on the oft over-blown orgies of CGI and miscast megastars we are accustomed to seeing.

On one hand, you have filmmakers like James Gunn who take the superhero genre into an extremist, even exploitative (these are compliments, folks) realm of parody and violence like with SUPER, and smaller comic books of higher quality adapted into quality films such as KICK-ASS. On the other hand, you have filmmakers who take the superhero genre and break it down into its essential parts, with only the core premise remaining, and build something new, something conceptual and less grandiose. One of the best examples is M. Night Shyamalan’s UNBREAKABLE, which gets at the core of what makes a superhero, and their super villains tick on a human level.

CHRONICLE is the newest example of such a film, written by Max Landis (the son of director John Landis) and is the feature film debut of director Josh Trank, who worked as an editor on BIG FAN, starring Patton Oswalt. The story follows three teenagers — Steve (Michael B. Jordan), Matt (Alex Russell), and Andrew (Dane DeHaan) — as they learn to adapt to life with newly acquired abilities as a result of a mysterious discovery during a late night barn rave.

The film presents itself as a found footage project, with the awkwardly anti-social Andrew choosing to record everything on a recently purchased camcorder. This approach works well enough for about the first half of the film, even though most of it is clearly of a higher production quality than would be expected from amateur found footage. This is fine, alleviating concerns that arose from THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and CLOVERFIELD regarding countless reports of motion sickness.

The problem, and really the only criticism I have of CHRONICLE, is that the film doesn’t fully commit to the found footage concept. The theme is inconsistent, primarily in the third act. In hindsight, this is understandable, as the third act contains most of the large scale action and special effects, which would have been more difficult to capture as found footage. There are attempts to convey and remind the audience of this notion, but there are also ways that this could have been done better, maintaining the perspective throughout the film.

I am purposefully being vague, as not to ruin anything about the ending of CHRONICLE. If you read between the lines, you’ll no doubt figure it out, but to explain how this could have been done better would not do the viewer justice prior to seeing it themselves.

As the three teenagers secretly learn and develop their abilities together, the group dynamics between them evolves and changes, which is where CHRONICLE shines. The characters are well developed, especially Andrew, who is clearly modeled along the lines of the DONNIE DARKO personality type. The film is told from Andrew’s point of view, not just because he is usually the one recording the found footage, but also because this is primarily his story. This in turn also presents another twist in the film’s approach, as Andrew becomes what you might call the film’s antagonist. Again, read into that what you will, but this is as far as I go with explaining Andrew’s involvement.

The special effects in CHRONICLE are achieved successfully, presenting the events on screen in a believable but frugal fashion, never overdoing the scale or flashiness of the effects. One of the most enjoyable scenes involved Steve helping Andrew make an impression during the school talent show, a scene where Andrew’s abilities are put to an impressively ingenious and playful use. The tone of CHRONICLE is very much in the high school “class struggle” vein, with elements of BREAKFAST CLUB and CARRIE mixed in with the previously mentioned DONNIE DARKO, and of course wrapped up in what is essentially a superhero origin story without all the pretentious back story and excess explanations of why and how. Instead, CHRONICLE focuses on how this development affects the three teenagers in their daily lives, and in whom they become.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

THE DARKEST HOUR – The Review

Studying and researching movies over the years I’ve come across an expression, ” A monster movie is only as good as its monster”. Well, I’d add that the fear level you have while watching said flick really depends on how fearsome the monster is. Well the beasties in THE DARKEST HOUR rank right up there with the walking carpet of the Grade- Z classic THE CREEPING TERROR. And I do mean rank. They’re floating balls of yellow light. Yup. Hence the darkness in the title ( they’re easier to see at night ). These energy balls may be pretty, but they’re deadly. Get too close and they’ll shoot out a neon-like lasso, pull you close, and smash your atoms ( disintegrate you into a clod of powder ). They’re relentless all right, just not that visually interesting ( they’re certainly no competition for the Predator, and H.R. Gieger’s Alien ). And 3D doesn’t make them any more frightening than a really aggressive swarm of lightning bugs.

The film at least has an interesting background for all the mayhem : Moscow. Things start out with two hotshot internet dudes ( Emile Hirsch and Max Minghella ) flying in to meet the investors in their great ” social network/hook-up while globetrotting ” website. But, man, their Russian connection dude has totally ripped them off. At least they meet up with two vacationing babes ( American Olivia Thirlby and Brit Rachael Taylor ) at a swinging nite spot. Then the power shuts down and the sky lights up in waves of yellow and orange. Then the yellow glowing orbs ( thousands of them! ) float to the ground and turn everybody to chalky dust. Except our heroes and their new gal pals. Oh, and that dude that stole the website!. After leaving the safety of the bar’s storage room ( ran out of food ) they try to hide during the day and scurry around the deserted streets at night in search of supplies, other survivors, and information.

And that pretty much sums it up. Lots of hiding, arguing, and running about. Very much like SKYLINE and CLOVERFIELD. It’s attractive young actors scurrying about ( and having to wear lightbulbs as necklaces to warn them of the aliens ). I’ve enjoyed the work of Hirsch, Minghella, and Thirlby, but here they’re fighting a script that renders the male characters mostly obnoxious and the women shrill. The Moscow settings are interesting as are the local actors ( could’ve used the subtitles for some of their lines in English ) and at least it was shot in 3D. The main problem ( besides the space glow balls ) is that we’ve seen so much of it done better ( the deserted city in I AM LEGEND for example ). Perhaps this is why it was released on Christmas Day ( it’s not Oscar-bait like the other flicks opening that day ). If you’re looking for a good Russian travelogue the opening scenes of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE : GHOST PROTOCOL are a much better time at the cinema. Okay you three stars, hope you movie on from this tiresome, uninspired effort and treat us to much better works.

Overall Rating : One Out of Five Stars